Schedule Cards

A primary expectation I'm sure many of use have for our rooms is daily schedule organization. We need to stay on track to make sure students see our daily expectations and that no specials are missed. If your class is like mine they pick up on it quick and actually are great at reminding you if you forgot to update the schedule that morning. I think they feel this is a personal challenge to catch me. They are full of pride as they come up to make the correction, It is an unofficial job open to who catches it first.

These can also be printed to use on your bulletin board, magnetic whiteboard, etc. Pocket chart is optional.

At a recent meeting in my classroom several colleagues saw and commented on it so I decided to expand my schedule card options and add it to my TPT store. (I have to pay for my clip art addiction somehow :-))

I tried to think of all the different titles teachers use for the subject areas, If I missed something please let me know.Options include: Morning Meeting • Daily Round-up • Calendar • Assembly • Math • Math Centers • Daily 3 • Arithmetic • ELA • Language & Literature • Language Arts • Literature • Reading Writing • Writer’s Workshop • Grammar • Daily 5 • Phonics • Guided Reading • Library • Science • S.T.E.M.• S.T.E.A.M •.Art • Social Studies • Humanities • Individuals & Societies • History • Technology Design’• Technology • Computers • Design • Health & Wellness • Gym • Phystical Education • Health • Wold Language • Drama • Music (instrument or choral) • Lunch & Recess • Recess • Lunch • Recess 7 Lunch • Executive Functioning • Dismissal • Field Trip • Guest Speaker

Also included are time cards to show start and end times. Add your own hour and minute hands with thin green or red markers. A blue clock allows dismissal time to stand out.

An option for digital time to be included is also available.

 Check this out on my TPT store. Daily Schedule Cards

My primary expectation is that back to school is around the corner and I expect it to be a great new year. At the end of last year I made a memory book that my 1st graders loved!! So I adapted it to make it ready for back to school fun. I made it available as  letter and ledger format to make it one book without staples. Find out about your students and have fun.

School Year Memory Book

I have... who has...?

A Primary Expectation of my district is to provide ELA grades for the areas of reading, listening, speaking, and writing as early as first grade.
There are many versions of I have.. Who Has..? card games I first learned about it from a purchased sight word version. My students loved it! I knew they wanted more and I found it was a great way to review various content.

This was a great way to encourage students, reinforce, and demonstrate reading. Students of all ability levels actively particpated, a few may have needed a little more help at first. My EL students and lower grade level readers enjoyed being able to participate. This provided a non-threatening atmosphere to improve and develop listening and speaking. Players need to speak loud and clear enough so classmates know what to look for on their cards.
I plan on incorporating more this coming school year and am planning to develop science and social studies theme card sets.

It is very easy to create your own. This could be a great writing activity as students build familiarity they can use clip art, magazine pictures, etc. to create their own sets on their own topics. This game is not exclusive to primary grades any age can play.

Set Up

o Cut the cards apart. I have labeled them to avoid mixing up the sets.

o Distribute the cards, one to each student.

o  Less than 27 students: I have given out an extra card to random students, most patient, nearest birthday, etc. You can determine your own criteria.

o  More than 27 students: You can either make a second set and have them find a partner to “buddy” with, or they can be “checkers/helpers.” Verifying cards or helping classmates to read or check their cards.

o You may want to make an answer key by printing the card set with the option multiple pages to make sure the game is flowing.

How to Play

o Once cards are distributed students need to determine who has the card that has the sentence: I have the first card.

o The child reads and classmates need to check their card(s) for a match. If it does they read and play continues goes on.

o This continues until they get to the last card which will have the sentence: This is the end of the game.

Possible challenges can include using a timer to see if students can beat their own time by reading, listening, and speaking. 

I have...Who has..?

Assignment Notebooks

A Primary Expectation I have is to develop lifelong learners. Part of being a lifelong learner is developing responsibility. This resource helps to establish and maintain school home communications. I am familiar with the argument that homework is not important in primary graded, but during my almost 30 years’ experience I have found that a little homework never hurt anyone. My practice is one worksheet sometimes two a day, but that a blog for another time.

This newly updated resource has many options available. The cover is available as a reading record and a new option was recently added to allow for parents to record math practice as well. Teachers know how important it is to practice skills introduced at school to be reinforced at home. 

Assignment Notebook

The pages available for recording classroom assignments are available with a column for notes to and from home, if needed OR a circle option if your classroom uses the behavior color chart in your classroom.

Also, I used the computer snipping tool to take the homework page image and insert it to an interactive white board file. This has helped in having a record of the week's assignments and students love the reward of being able to write the nightly assignment students in my room record at the end of the day.

Classroom GO to may not be Pokemon Go but should be fun

My son has been driving me nuts with the current excitement of Pokemon Go app so I tried to figure out how I can hopefully bring this into my classroom. I have designed a Classroom GO to and Staff GO to card deck that teachers can use as ice breakers at the beginning of the year.
The cover has a mock tablet look and a space for the children to draw a self portrait or create an avatar. Teacher or students can select cards to include in their deck to that they will be on the "GO to" find.
Students can use small stickers or sign the card when "captured" when the student can color the card.
The Staff version would be great for Back to School Night for parents and stduents to meet other staff. and perhaps a treat or homework pass can be given when returned completed.

Classroom GO to

I'm back...

I'm hoping to get better blogging over the summer. I have so many plans, and ideas going through my head. Finishing up on something I put together at the end of the year and my firsties loved. Hoping to have it completed soon.
What I really wanted to tell you about is get to TARGET if you haven't yet. The Dr. Seuss items that they are usually out of in February for the big day in March are out NOW. I picked up bags, pencils, and erasers. Also, I picked up a cute circular border I'm trying to figure out how to make it a crown. Pictures to follow later.

Also some very colorful bins if you are like me and need to freshen things up this year.  (Pardon the messy car trunk, pictures actually were so I knew what I had from previous Target and what colors I was looking for :-)). Also, if limited supply out ASK, Target was so helpful and brought out more and I was able to complete my book bin set.